1. Field
One or more exemplary embodiments relate to a cooling tower having plume abating means, and more particularly, to a cooling tower having plume abating means that facilitates the generation of plume and removes the resulting plume before being discharged to the atmosphere.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a facility such as semiconductor manufacturing process is installed with a refrigerator for air-conditioning, and low-temperature cooling water is used in a condenser included in the refrigerator. As the refrigerator is operated, the temperature of the low-temperature cooling water rises, and thus the low-temperature cooling water is converted into high-temperature cooling water.
A cooling tower is a device for re-using high-temperature cooling water discharged from the refrigerator by contacting it with ambient air to cool down a temperature thereof. The cooling tower is classified into a counterflow cooling tower and a crossflow cooling tower. In the counterflow cooling tower, cooling water flows in gravity direction while the air flows in a direction exactly opposite to the flow direction of cooling water. In the crossflow cooling tower, cooling water flows in gravity direction while the air flows in a direction perpendicular to the flow direction of cooling water.
A conventional cooling tower is supplied with low-temperature ambient air during the winter season (e.g., air at a temperature of about −10° C. and a relative humidity of about 70%), and then generates high-temperature and humid air with increased temperature and relative humidity (e.g., air at a temperature of about 21° C. and a relative humidity of about 100%) while cooling high-temperature cooling water so as to obtain low-temperature cooling water. Here, the high-temperature and humid air generated in the cooling tower may be discharged to the outside of the cooling tower, and may be in contact with low-temperature ambient air (e.g., air at a temperature of about −10° C. and a relative humidity of about 70%), thereby generating plume. Since the plume is generated by condensation of the cooling water having water as a main component, the plume generated herein is harmless to the human body. However, the plume was seemingly recognized as a mixture containing harmful materials or pollutants, so that civil complaints are caused.
According to KR 1,349,114, there is disclosed a method of abating plume, the method including: forming water vapor by directly contacting high-temperature cooling water with ambient air in a cooling tower; and electrifying and collecting mist included in the formed water vapor.
According to KR 0,548,503, there is disclosed a method of removing plume, the method including: electrifying water vapor included in a chimney or in an exhaust gas of an exhaust pipe; and collecting the electrified water vapor.
According to KR 0,326,722, there is disclosed a method of abating plume, the method including: arranging a wet air duct and a dry air duct alternately and parallel to each other; and heating high-temperature and humid air with high-temperature and low-humid air to reduce a relative humidity of the high-temperature and humid air, wherein the high-temperature and humid air is discharged from the wet air duct and the high-temperature and low-humid air is discharged from the dry air.